Trios

Ten days ago to the Wigmore Hall to hear the Gould Piano Trio, a trio last heard near 600 trolleys ago and noticed at reference 1. Brahms Op.101, Dvořák Op.90 (aka Dumky). The Brahms we did not know but we have heard the Dvořák often enough over the years, most recently last November, as noticed at reference 3. A justly popular piece.

Unusual M&S trolley with a green handle on Station Approach. Presumably a left-over from some previous colour scheme. In the event, I did not capture it later.

Trainset down to four coaches which meant that it was rather crowded by the time we got to London, but we did get a seat, which is just as well these days.

Slowed down in Olle & Steen by several people in front of me in the queue with big takeaway orders, half a dozen items and more, which they were not well placed to process quickly. One chap in particular was buying lots of stuff to eat but nothing to drink and I failed to compute what he was up to. Taking them back to his flat nearby? Back to his family in a nearby hotel? BH thought that it being Fathers' Day might have had something to do with it.

For a change, I thought I would try their sausage roll, snapped above. Not bad, and I liked the sausage better than those we put in rolls, but the bun seemed a little doughy and undercooked. and I expect I will be back on the Kløben at the next visit.

Wigmore Hall near full for what I thought was an excellent concert. I recognised just one of the three musicians, recognised in the sense of a sense of having seen him before somewhere. I would not have been able to say where.

The Brahms seemed very lively and I liked it rather more than I was expecting. It probably helped that I was - not surprisingly - reminded of Brahms' nearby piano quartets, for which we had a passing thing a few years ago, kicked off by an orchestral rendering of Quartet No.1, as noticed at reference 4. While the Dumky was as good as ever.

Off to the Wigmore for lunch, the pub, that is, which is attached to the Langham Hotel. It turned out that they had lots of reservations for Fathers' Day, despite looking pretty empty, but they managed to fit us in, on the high chairs that we do not much like, despite their being all the thing in pubs at the moment, as we like to have our feet on the floor. Maybe something to do with packing in lots of young people when it is busy, young people who do not mind standing at table.

I took the crab crumpets followed by beef, while BH took the hake. The beef was good, and the gravy was on the side, as is proper. The vegetables were good, even the carrots and greens, but they were a bit tight with supplies, particularly considering the elevated price. BH was quite happy with her hake, a fish that I am not keen on, finding it rather fishy. Silly, but there you are. Picpoul, water and Jameson to drink. Maybe a spot of Earl Grey for her.

Gentlemen with reservations were given small gifts on exit, possibly in the form of one or two chocolates, but we did not qualify. Otherwise the service was very good, attentive without being pushy or forward. And to be fair to the reservations, most of them had been taken up by the time we were leaving. Given the obscure location and appearance, perhaps people staying at the Langham, wanting the authentic public house experience?

Out to get ourselves to Vauxhall, where we amused ourselves with the platform indicator display, much more fun that the overhead version. We liked the way it had been programmed so that trains seemed to jump onto the screen; very eye catching. I also managed a two-aeroplane-in-view.

Good haul at Raynes Park, including the Morley Magazine which managed to slip into reference 5. Can't get the staff. Haven't got very far with any of it yet, but I do commend the article about hearing with your teeth at reference 5, from which I learned that the deaf Beethoven managed something with a thin stick jammed between his teeth and planted on top of his piano. A bit awkward, I dare say, but it does give you some hearing.

Except that neither Bing nor Google turns up anything other than this very article on the key 'albert jefferis electronic dentures'. Has Mr. Collins been a touch inventive?

Notwithstanding, inspection of references 7 and 8 suggest an odd, but respectable magazine. The transient links with UNLV and sex toys can be overlooked.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2018/03/trio-sunday.html.

Reference 2: https://www.gouldpianotrio.com/.

Reference 3: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2023/11/trio-gaspard.html.

Reference 4: https://psmv2.blogspot.com/2013/04/adaptations.html.

Reference 5: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/06/grilled-chop-ends.html.

Reference 6: Bite me: A brief history of dentistry and music - Paul Collins, Believer - 2008.

Reference 7: https://www.thebeliever.net/.

Reference 8: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Believer_(magazine).

Reference 9: https://www.unlv.edu/. 'The University of Nevada, Las Vegas wishes to acknowledge and honor the Indigenous communities of this region, and recognize that the university is situated on the traditional homelands of the Nuwu (noo·woo), Southern Paiute (pai·oot) People'.